In the year 1837

  • Toledo City Council appoints a committee to determine the cost of purchasing two fire engines for City of Toledo use for firefighting
  • The first effort to organize a Fire Department was by way of a resolution that was passed by Toledo City Council on November 27, 1837
  • Charles McClean elected first Fire Chief of Volunteer Department, the first Volunteer Company organized on November 27, 1837
  • First engine house (known as Engine House #1) built on Cherry Street, between Huron & Superior

In the 1860s-1890s

  • Elias Avery named first Chief of Toledo Fire Department, 1867
  • Christion Woehler named Fire Chief, 1869
  • Fire Chief John Avery named in 1879, saw first telegraph alarms and first chemical engines
  • John Nagley appointed Fire Chief in 1885, saw first hook & ladder delivered to city
  • Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, on Adams between Summit & St. Clair
  • Thomas R. Cook appointed Chief in 1890, left to become Superintendant of Water Works
  • Engine & Hose Company No. 1, on Cherry between Superior & Huron
  • No. 2, disbanded, No. 3, serving on Monroe St. between St. Clair & Superior
  • No. 6, north side of Summit between LaGrange & Elm, No. 7, Monroe St. between St. Clair & Superior
  • Chris F. Wall, appointed Fire Chief in 1890

In the 1900s

  • Hours changed to six days on duty, one day off duty
  • William F. Mayo, Chief of Fire Department, 1900
  • Louis Elling appointed Chief 1915 and saw the transfer from hand drawn equipment to motorization
  • Last horse retired from service from No. 15 Fire Station; department now completely motorized
  • George W. Fraser named Chief, 1914, and served for one year, was then selected as 1st Ward Alderman

In the 1920s & 1930s

  • Fred J. Myers, appointed June 4, 1927 as Chief of Fire Department
  • Firemen begin two-platoon system 48 hours on duty, off 48 hours off duty
  • Fire Prevention Bureau created June 1, 1929
  • Drill School created September 1, 1930
  • Radio broadcasting of fire alarms begins August 9, 1932
  • Fred T. Schlorf, named Chief June 26, 1935, oversaw building of Drill Tower & Maintenance Bureau

In the 1940s & 1950s

  • No. 24 opened, Summit & 114th through annexation of Point Place
  • Patrick Daly named Chief May 1, 1946, saw transition to two-way radios and 100’ aerial ladders
  • Karl B. Scheidler appointed Chief January 1, 1951, died from a heart attack at the scene of a marsh fire
  • 50 men drafted into Military Service, six killed in the line of duty
  • Arnold Papenhagen, Chief, 1952, six stations built during his tenure as the city doubled in size

In the 1960s & 1970s

  • June 10, 1961, gasoline truck explosion on the Anthony Wayne Trail kills four firefighters, injures six,
    along with 81 civilians
  • 1963, Fire Fighter Memorial dedicated across from headquarters
  • No. 26 Fire Station opened at Airport & Byrne through annexation of Adams Twp.
  • No. 14 Fire Station opened on December 28, 1964 through annexation of Adams Twp.
  • Authorized strength increased to 541, January 2, 1967, then to 571 on July 21, 1967
  • July 21, 1967 new position of Administrative Deputy Chief created along with a new district
  • Chief Eulan Tucker appointed July 5, 1968, three stations were built as well as the Airport Hwy. facility
  • October 1972, year round program of Fire Safety started in the Toledo Schools with “Fireman Freddy”
  • April 20, 1972, Fire Training Center opened at Toledo Express Airport
  • May 5, 1975, two emergency Life Squads with paramedics placed in service
  • Twelve firefighters laid off reducing manpower to 554 on March 5, 1976
  • Carl Neeb appointed Fire Chief on October 15, 1976

In the 1980s & 1990s

  • January 1, 1980, Toledo Fire & Rescue work week reduced to 48 hours
  • June 19, 1980, Stations 10, 12 & 15 closed due to city finances, 61 firefighters laid off creating the lowest manpower since the mid-1950s
  • July 7, 1980, William Winkle appointed Fire Chief
  • May 11, 1984, first women (9) hired in class of 64 recruits
  • February 25, 1986, Toledo City Council approves legislation requiring owners of residential dwellings to install smoke alarms within 60 days
  • Michael Schultz named interim Fire Chief, November 21, 1989
  • August 1988, new nomenclature for dept., pumper to engine, ladder to truck, rescue squad to squad, district chief to battalion chief as well as implementation of Incident Command System (I.C.S.)
  • March 1, 1989, Lucas county’s new 9-1-1 system set to begin along with computerization of Toledo Fire & Rescue dispatch operations
  • August 21, 1990, Capt. Mike Bell named as new Fire Chief
  • December 29, 1992, the light blue uniform shirt is replaced with dark blue along with a new Maltese cross patch with the department’s new name
  • March 1993, Safety Bureau/Safety Officer program developed and instituted

In the 2000s

  • Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department became the lead agency of the Homeland security Task Force garnering over $25,000,000.00 since its inception
  • In 2002 Toledo Fire & Rescue Department achieve the distinction of being the first metropolitan city in the state of Ohio to receive accreditation status from Commission on Fire Accreditation Institute
  • September 11, 2007, at 1546 hrs. Rescue Transport 17 ushered in the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department’s B.L.S. transport of patients to local hospitals
  • November 20, 2007, Michael Wolever appointed Fire Chief
  • In 2008, Toledo Fire & Rescue responded to over 50,000 incidents for the first time
  • January 2011, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department provides fire and E.M.S. service in an agreement with the Village of Ottawa Hills
  • July 2, 2011, Asst. Chief Luis Santiago named Fire Chief
  • Changes in C.P.R. & ResQPOD device improve return of spontaneous circulation upon arrival at E.R.; prior to 2005 it was 12%, now approaching 40%
  • 2013 saw the closing of Station 3 due to structural concerns with the apparatus floor. Reconstruction began later in 2013
  • 2013 also saw a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new Station 12.
  • January 26, 2014, Pvt. Stephen Machcinski and Pvt. James Dickman become the 48th and 49th Line of Duty Deaths since the founding of the department in 1837. 528 Magnolia Street was the site of this tragedy where the two firefighters died during suppression efforts.
  • On May 23, 2014, Battalion Chief Karen Marquardt was named the first female Assistant Chief of the department.
  • On July 31, 2014, Private Lolita Cooper became the first African-American female promoted to Lieutenant.
  • Station 12 opened on March 27, 2015 after being closed since June 19, 1980. This opening increased our number of active fire stations to 19.
  • On August 3, 2018, Senior Battalion Chief Brian Byrd was appointed Fire Chief.
  • On February 1, 2022, Battalion Chief Allison Armstrong was appointed Fire Chief. Chief Armstrong became the first female Fire Chief in our 185 year history.